Feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine

ABSTRACT

A feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine includes a hopper assembly and a transmission device. The hopper assembly includes a base having a top to which a plurality of inclined feeding tubes is mounted and a plurality of funnel-like feeding hoppers. The transmission device includes a first cutting/feeding module, a second cutting/feeding module, and a motor assembly. The motor assembly is mounted on the feeding hopper. The first cutting/feeding module includes a hollow tubular shaft coupled to the motor assembly and at least one first blade mounted to the tubular shaft. The second cutting/feeding module includes a spindle composed of upper and lower segments, a rotor coupled between the upper and lower segment, and a plurality of second blades mounted to the spindle. The spindle is received in and in operative coupling with the tubular shaft. The cutting/feeding modules are rotatably received in the hopper assembly.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine, and in particular to a feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine that improves feeding efficiency and allows of easy cleaning.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Stuffing wrapping of foodstuffs is to wrap or fill a stuffing material, such as lotus seed paste, bean paste, and date paste, by or in a covering material, such as dough and flour batter. Stuffing machines for mass production of filling or wrapping a stuffing material with a covering material are available in the market, wherein the stuffing material and the covering material are separately deposited in feeding channels of the stuffing machine in order to complete a stuffed product. As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional stuffing machine comprises the following components:

Two horizontally arranged feeding chambers 10A each receive therein at least a rotation shaft 21A to which one spiral blade 22A is mounted and a motor (not shown) coupled to the rotation shaft 21A. The feeding chambers 10A are provided with a discharge channel 11A that has an inlet opening (not shown) substantially perpendicular to an outlet opening 12A. The discharge channel 11A has an end where the outlet opening 12A is formed. Further, the discharge channel 11A receives therein a scroll blade 13A.

A base (not shown) comprises a discharging opening and a plurality of feeding tubes. Each of the feeding tubes has an end communicating with the discharging opening and an opposite end couple to the outlet opening 12A of the feeding chambers 10A.

To use, a stuffing material and a covering material are respectively deposited into the feeding chambers 10A and are conveyed by the rotation shafts 21A that have the spiral blades 22A into the discharge channel 11A to be further driven by the scroll blade 13A for changing direction toward the outlet opening 12A and eventually entering the feeding tubes of the base to allow a stuffed food product to be dispensed from the discharging opening.

However, the feeding chamber 10A of the feeding structure of the conventional stuffing machine comprises a discharge channel 11A having a bend that might form a dead zone. Further, the performance for pushing or conveying material toward a transverse direction is generally poor, making it possible to have the material undesirably accumulated or jamming in the bend or contamination may be induced in the bend. In addition, the structure is complicated and assembling and disassembling is troublesome, making cleaning operations extremely difficult and eventually causing a significant reduction of production efficiency.

In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a solution that overcomes the problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine, which adopts a unique arrangement comprising a base to which a plurality of feeding tubes that is inclined is mounted and a plurality of funnel-like feeding hoppers corresponding to the feeding tubes to overcome the problems of according to the present invention so as to realize improvement of material pushing performance and processing of various stuffing materials in multiple hoppers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine, which adopts modularized design of a first cutting/feeding module and a second cutting/feeding module and further adopts a simple arrangement of fitting and screwing for coupling the first cutting/feeding module, the second cutting/feeding module, a cutter assembly, and a reverse pushing module of a transmission device and the components thereof so as to achieve easy assembling and disassembling and facilitate the performance of cleaning operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine, which adopts a mutual cooperative arrangement of a first cutting/feeding module and a second cutting/feeding module of a transmission device to provide localized and stepwise material stirring and pushing operation so as to realize uniformly stirring and increase of the speed of pushing material to thereby facilitate subsequent operation of stuffing wrapping and to increase the types of stuffing to be processed thereby.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine, which adopts an arrangement that a lower segment of a spindle of a second cutting/feeding module 22 comprises, in addition to a plurality of second blades, a plurality of couplings, which is connected between the second blades, so that the upper and lower segments and the coupled portions of the spindle are all functional for pushing material to thereby achieve uniform stirring of material and stable pushing of material.

To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine, which comprises: a hopper assembly and a transmission device. The hopper assembly comprises a base and a plurality of funnel-like feeding hoppers. The base has a top to which a plurality of inclined feeding tubes is mounted. The base has a bottom forming a discharging opening, which is in communication with the feeding tubes. The feeding hoppers are arranged above and in communication with the feeding tubes respectively. The transmission device comprises a first cutting/feeding module, a second cutting/feeding module, and a motor assembly. The motor assembly is mounted on the feeding hoppers. The first cutting/feeding module comprises a hollow tubular shaft and a first blade mounted to the tubular shaft. The tubular shaft has an end coupled to the motor assembly. The second cutting/feeding module comprises a spindle that is composed of upper and lower segments, a coupling arranged between the upper and lower segments of the spindle, and a plurality of second blades mounted to the spindle. The spindle has an end portion that is received in and coupled to the tubular shaft to be operative in unison with the tubular shaft. The first cutting/feeding module and the second cutting/feeding module are received in the hopper assembly. As such, efficacies of having multiple hoppers to process various stuffing material, uniform stirring, improved material pushing performance, easy assembling/disassembling, and being easy to clean are provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is across-sectional view taken along line A-A′ of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first cutting/feeding module according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second cutting/feeding module according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a feeding hopper of a conventional stuffing machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1-4, the present invention provides a feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine, which comprise a hopper assembly 10 and a transmission device 20.

The hopper assembly 10 comprises a base 11 and a plurality of funnel-like feeding hoppers 12. The base 11 has a top to which a plurality of feeding tubes 111 (two feeding tubes being shown in the embodiment illustrated and the two feeding tubes 111 being of a horn like configuration having an expanded upper portion and a gradually reduced lower portion) that is generally inclined is coupled. The base 11 has a bottom forming a discharging opening 112, which is in communication with the feeding tubes 111. The feeding hoppers 12 are arranged above and in communication with the feeding tubes 111 respectively. Each feeding hopper 12 comprises a hopper cover 122, which comprises a fixed section 1221 and a lift-to-open section 1222. The fixed section 1221 and the lift-to-open section 1222 are rotatably coupled to each other.

The transmission device 20 comprises a first cutting/feeding module 21, a second cutting/feeding module 22, and a motor assembly 23.

The motor assembly 23 is mounted on the feeding hopper 12. (In the embodiment illustrated, the motor assembly 23 is mounted on the fixed section 1221 of the hopper cover 122.)

The first cutting/feeding module 21 comprises a hollow tubular shaft 211 and a first blade 212 (which is in a spiral form) mounted to the tubular shaft 211. The tubular shaft 211 has an end coupled to the motor assembly 23. (In the instant embodiment, the tubular shaft 211 comprises a bearing at one end thereof and the motor assembly 23 comprises a shaft bore that is operatively coupled to the bearing.)

The second cutting/feeding module 22 comprise a spindle 221 that is composed of upper and lower segments, a coupling 222 arranged between the upper and lower segments of the spindle 221, and a plurality of second blades 223 (which are in a spiral form) mounted to the spindle 221. The spindle 221 has an end portion that is received in and coupled to the tubular shaft 211 to be operative in unison with the tubular shaft 211. (In the instant embodiment, the end portion of the spindle 221 is the upper end portion of the spindle 221 that has a very end tip coupled to a retainer 2211, which is in turn fixed to the tubular shaft 211 by a screw 2212.) The first cutting/feeding module 21 and the second cutting/feeding module 22 are received in the hopper assembly 10.

The coupling 222 comprise an upper tube 2221, a lower tube 2222, and a rotor 2223 coupled between the upper tube 2221 and the lower tube 2222. (In the instant embodiment, the rotor 2223 comprises a short tube that forms a bore vertically extending therethrough and the lower tube 2222 forms, at one end thereof, two spaced coupling lugs corresponding to openings of the vertical bore of the rotor 2223; the rotor 2223 forms opposite holes in sides thereof and the upper tube 2221 forms, at one end thereof, two spaced coupling lugs to rotatably joint to the holes, thereby forming a universal joint.)

The coupling 222 is coupled between upper and lower segments of the spindle 221 to allow the upper and lower segments of the spindle 221 to be rotatable and foldable. The upper segment of the spindle 221 is received in the feeding hopper 12 and the lower segment of the spindle 221 is received in the feeding tubes 111. In the instant embodiment, the lower segment of the spindle 221 comprises a plurality of couplings 222 having the same structure as described above. The couplings 222 are respectively coupled between the second blades 223. Specifically, one of the couplings 222 is coupled between the upper and lower segments of the spindle 221, while the remaining ones of the couplings 222 are coupled between the second blades 223 (in such a way that the couplings 222 alternate the second blades 223 to form a configuration resembling a stick insect). Each of the couplings 222 comprises third blades 2224 mounted thereto to improve the performance of stirring and pushing material. (In the instant embodiment, the upper tube 2221 and the lower tube 2222 of each coupling 222 each comprise two transversely extending third blades 2224 mounted thereto and the third blades 2224 of the upper tube 2221 and the lower tube 2222 are angularly alternate with each other.) The lower segment of the spindle 221 may further comprises a short tube (not shown) coupled between the second blades 223 for selective adjustment of the spacing distance between the second blades 223.

Preferably, the transmission device 20 further comprises a cutter assembly 24, which is mounted to the tubular shaft 211 and located above the first blade 212. The cutter assembly 24 comprises a connection member 241 connected to the tubular shaft 211 and a plurality of wing plates 242 extending outwards from the connection member 241. (In the instant embodiment, the connection member 241 is a sleeve that is fit over and fixed to the tubular shaft 211 to be movable in unison with the tubular shaft 211.) Mounted to upper and lower sides of each wing plate 242 is a plurality of cutting blades 243 for improving the performance of stirring and pushing material.

More preferably, the transmission device 20 further comprises a reverse pushing module 25, which is mounted to the tubular shaft 211 and located above the cutter assembly 24. The reverse pushing module 25 comprises a connection member 251 connected to the tubular shaft 211 (in the instant embodiment, the connection member 241 being a sleeve that is fit over and rotatably coupled to the tubular shaft 211, the sleeve carrying a gear that is in operative engagement with a gear of the motor assembly) and a plurality of folded plates 252 that extends outward from the connection member 251 and folded downward (in the form of a plate) to improve the performance of stirring and pushing material.

The present invention uses the mutual cooperative arrangement of the first cutting/feeding module 21 and the second cutting/feeding module 22 of the transmission device 20 to provide localized (a central area and a circumferential area of the feeding hopper 12) and stepwise (two steps respectively defined by the feeding hoppers 12 and the feeding tubes 111) material stirring and pushing operation so as to improve the performance of uniformly stirring and increase the speed of pushing material to thereby facilitate subsequent operation of stuffing wrapping and to increase the types of stuffing to be processed thereby.

To effectively reduce the potential risk of material jamming and to improve performance of pushing material, the present invention provides the following unique arrangement:

(1) The funnel like feeding hoppers 12 (which are expanded at the upper side and reduced at the lower side) facilitates deposition of material and uses gravitation to feed material downward from the top opening of the hopper and this is different from the horizontally arranged feeding hopper that is conventionally used, so that the problems of material accumulation and jamming in the hopper assembly 10 can be overcome and the performance of pushing material is effectively improved.

(2) A plurality of inclined feeding tubes 111 (which are expanded at the upper side and reduced at the lower side) is connected, at the upper end, to the feeding hoppers 12 and is in communication, at the lower end, with the discharging opening 112, and a vertical arrangement is adopted to allow the material deposited in the feeding hoppers 12 to be fed downward by gravity, this being different from the conventional arrangement in which the material fed from a feeding hopper to a discharging opening 112 must be moved through a horizontal bend (which is roughly a right angle) and cause serious jamming problems, so that the problems of material accumulation and jamming in the hopper assembly 10 can be overcome and the performance of pushing material is effectively improved.

(3) The lower segment of the spindle 221 of the second cutting/feeding module 22 comprises, besides a plurality of second blades 223, a plurality of couplings 222, which is connected between the second blades 223 so that the upper and lower segments and the coupled portions of the spindle 221 are all functional for pushing material to thereby achieve uniform stirring of material and stable pushing of material.

To efficiently and conveniently assemble and disassemble for the purpose of efficient cleaning, the present invention provides the following unique arrangement:

(1) The first cutting/feeding module 21 and the second cutting/feeding module 22 are both of modularized design, so that the first cutting/feeding module 21 and the second cutting/feeding module 22 can be assembled and disassembled as a whole set to facilitate cleaning operations.

(2) The first cutting/feeding module 21, the second cutting/feeding module 22, the cutter assembly 24, and the reverse pushing module 25 of the transmission device 20 and the components thereof are jointed in a simple arrangement of fitting or screwing so that assembling and disassembling are easy and can facilitate the cleaning operations.

The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine according to the present invention has the features that a unique arrangement that comprises a base 11 to which a plurality of inclined feeding tubes 111 is mounted and a plurality of funnel like feeding hoppers 12 respectively corresponding to the feeding tubes 111 is adopted to improve the material accumulation and jamming problems of the hopper assembly 10 so as to realize improvement of material pushing performance and processing of various stuffing materials in multiple hoppers. Through modularized design of the first cutting/feeding module 21 and the second cutting/feeding module 22 and further through simple arrangement of fitting and screwing for coupling the first cutting/feeding module 21, the second cutting/feeding module 22, the cutter assembly 24, and the reverse pushing module 25 of the transmission device 20 and the components thereof, easy assembling and disassembling is achieved to facilitate cleaning operation. Through the mutual cooperative arrangement of the first cutting/feeding module 21 and the second cutting/feeding module 22 of the transmission device 20 to provide localized (a central area and a circumferential area of the feeding hopper 12) and stepwise (two steps respectively defined by the feeding hoppers 12 and the feeding tubes 111) material stirring and pushing operation, the performance of uniformly stirring and increase of the speed of pushing material are realized to thereby facilitate subsequent operation of stuffing wrapping and to increase the types of stuffing to be processed thereby. Further, through the fact that the lower segment of the spindle 221 of the second cutting/feeding module 22 comprises, in addition to a plurality of second blades 223, a plurality of couplings 222, which is connected between the second blades 223, the upper and lower segments and the coupled portions of the spindle 221 are all functional for pushing material to thereby achieve uniform stirring of material and stable pushing of material. As such, the feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine according to the present invention is practical, novel, inventive, and convenient.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine, comprising: a hopper assembly, which comprises a base and a plurality of funnel-like feeding hoppers, the base having a top to which a plurality of feeding tubes that is generally inclined is coupled, the base having a bottom forming a discharging opening, the discharging opening, which is in communication with the feeding tubes, the feeding hoppers being arranged above and in communication with the feeding tubes respectively; and a transmission device, which comprise a first cutting/feeding module, a second cutting/feeding module, and a motor assembly, the motor assembly being mounted on the feeding hopper, the first cutting/feeding module comprising a hollow tubular shaft and a first blade mounted to the tubular shaft, the tubular shaft having an end coupled to the motor assembly, the second cutting/feeding module comprising a spindle that is composed of upper and lower segments, a coupling arranged between the upper and lower segments of the spindle, and a plurality of second blades mounted to the spindle, the spindle having an end portion that is received in and coupled to the tubular shaft to be operative in unison with the tubular shaft, the first cutting/feeding module and the second cutting/feeding module being received in the hopper assembly.
 2. The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feeding hopper comprises a hopper cover and the motor assembly is mounted on the hopper cover.
 3. The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission device comprises a cutter assembly, which is mounted to the tubular shaft and located above the first blade, the cutter assembly comprising a connection member connected to the tubular shaft and a plurality of wing plates extending outwards from the connection member, the wing plates having upper and lower sides to which a plurality of cutting blades is mounted.
 4. The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission device comprise a reverse pushing module, which is mounted to the tubular shaft and located above the cutter assembly, the reverse pushing module comprising a connection member connected to the tubular shaft and a plurality of folded plates that extends outward from the connection member and folded downward.
 5. The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises an upper tube, a lower tube, and a rotor coupled between the upper tube and the lower tube.
 6. The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower segment of the spindle comprises a plurality of coupling, which is connected between the second blades.
 7. The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the couplings comprises a third blade mounted thereto.
 8. The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the couplings comprises a third blade mounted thereto.
 9. The feeding and cutting structure of stuffing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower segment of the spindle comprises a tube connected between the second blades. 